The Cleveland Browns would be better off without Cam Newton for one key reason

Cam Newton wants to come to the Cleveland Browns to back up Deshaun Watson.

The Cleveland Browns are set at quarterback, just don’t tell that to Cam Newton. The former NFL MVP has stated that he would absolutely come to Cleveland to back up Browns’ starter Deshaun Watson, saying he admires him as a man. Yikes. Watson has in the past called Newton his big brother, a feeling he continues to have. After Newton made the comments about backing up Watson, Watson took to Twitter to declare Newton part of Watson’s family.

Newton has had his own fair share of controversies, nothing to the level of Watson, but there’s a reason he’s not signed to a team currently and why he missed all of 2022. Newton can claim there aren’t 32 better quarterbacks than him, but clearly, there are.

Or he’d be playing. His comments have generated a lot of discussion about seeing Newton return to the league, especially by Cleveland Browns fans. While most are content with Joshua Dobbs backing up Watson, there are people being seduced by the name-value of Newton.

Some in local Cleveland sports media have talked about Newton’s ability to come to a team,  like Cleveland, and provide insight and a coach-like experience. The only problem with that is Watson should be beyond needing a mentor. Watson may have his fair share of issues, but none of them are tied to his on-field play, at least beyond 2022’s debacle.

So why would Newton make sense for the Browns as a backup? Simply put, he wouldn’t.

Cam Newton is washed and the Cleveland Browns should stay the heck away

At his best, Newton was a mediocre passer who made up for his inaccuracies by running the ball. At his worst, he couldn’t get the ball 15 yards downfield and couldn’t make up the difference with his feet anymore.

Most quarterbacks are far from done at 34, but due to Newton’s injury history, specifically to his throwing shoulder, Newton not only isn’t a Top 32 quarterback, but he also isn’t good enough to be in the league at all.

In 2021 he completed just 55% of his passes, a personal low for the former three-time Pro Bowler. He doesn’t have the arm to play the position anymore. His performances have fallen off and he clearly can’t throw touchdowns to the same degree he once did, prior to his shoulder injury.

Newton thinks he can still play but the tape says otherwise. Newton’s athletic enough to maybe catch on as a slash-player but as a pure quarterback? Those days are long gone.

Don’t fall for the name value and think the play value still matches. It doesn’t. His brand is in better shape than his tape and the Browns need to realize that before they start looking at him as an option.